Power clutch



June 29, 1937.

E. A, ROCKWELL POWER CLUTCH Filed March 10, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Edward A. Rockwell BY WWW ' ATTORNEY POWER CLUTCH l Filed March 10, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NTOR E dwa A. Rockwell ATTO R N EY Patented June 29, '1937 POWER CLUTCH Edward A. Rockwell, Chicago, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to General Auto Parts Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application March 10, 1934, Serial No. 714,954

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in clutches, and more particularly to those adapted for use in motor vehicles.

The purpose of the invention is to provide .a clutch in which engagement is normally accomplished automatically by centrifugal means, while disengagement is accomplished by power means connected to the driven member. Control of the power means may be manual or may be accomplished by vacuum orother servo means, automatically if desired.

Fig. 1 is a vertical, longitudinal section of a clutch embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear viewof the clutch (Fig. 1) in partial section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

' Fig. 3 is a detail view of the presser plate drive pin arrangement of the clutch, being a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of adjusting means for the rear presser plate of the clutch, being a section taken on line 44 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view of the adjusting means for the 'forwardpresser plate of the clutch, being a section taken on line S 'S -Of Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral denotes the flywheel enclosed in a stationary casing or bellhousing I2. A plurality of guide pins l3 (Fig. 3)

fixed in the flywheel ll, support a presser plate I4 and an intermediate plate |5 slidable thereon.

Driven plates l6 and I1 of resilient construction are disposed respectively between flywheel H and intermediate plate l5 and between intermediate plate l5 and presser plate 4. The driven plates l6 and I! have the usual friction facings l3, l3 and 13,19 adapted to be engaged by the driving plates l4 and I5 and the flywheel A rear plate or cover is fastened to the flywheel II by means ofcap bolts 2|.

A plurality of rods 22 (Fig. 4) have heads 23 countersunk in the front of rear presser plate I4. Cupped guides 20a. retained in the cover plate 20,. contain compression springs '24 bearing against washers 25 held under nuts 26 on rods 22. The action of springs 24 is to urge rods 22 plate in a. position of clearance with both driven plates l6 and II when the latter are in their released positions. Y

Springs. 29 urge clips 33 against the bottom of slotted heads 3| of stop pins 23. Ridges 32 formed on clips 33 engage corresponding grooves in the bottom of heads 3|. As pins 23 are screwed inward or outward the clips are restrained from turning by lugs 33 bearing against shoulders 34 on the cover plate 20, so that the ridges 32 being forced out of and dropping. into the corresponding grooves in heads 3| act as latches, giving a definite notching adjustment to the pins. By this means all pins may readily be adjusted alike to give a proper clearance position to the intermediate plate |5. v A plurality of radially disposed levers 35 (Figs. 1 and 2) are pivoted at 35a to extensions 35 of the presser plate l4 and carry enlarged sphericalrings. 31 engaging the interior of eye-bolts 38 adjustably retained in the cover plate 20. The inner ends 39 of levers 35 are spherical in shape and engage loops 40 secured to a ring member 4| disposed around the driven shaft 42.

A plurality of rods 43, radially fixed in parallel pairs in the cover plate 20, act as guides for sliding centrifugal weights 4.4. Compression springs in sockets 43 of weights 44 bear against plates 41 fastened to the cover 20 and urge the weights 44 inward. Each weight 44 supports a cross pin 48 on which are pivoted two links 43, 43a which in turn support two transverse parallel rollers 50 and 5|. I

The rear rollers 50 engage cams 52 fastened to ring 4|, said cams having an inner inclined face 53 and a forward radial face 54. The front rollers 5| engage the inclined rear faces of cams 55 fastened to a spring plate 51. Radial spring flngers 53 which may either be attached to plate 51 or formed integrally therewith, as shownfpres a ainst the back of presser plate 14.

When the engine is idling and the weights are in the position shown in dotted lines Fig. 1, the rollers 50 and 5| have released the cams 52 and 55, removing the pressure from finger springs 53 and levers 35, so that the presser plate l4 and intermediate plate |5are held out of engagement with the driven members by their respective springs 24 and 21. As the motor speeds up the rollers 53 and 5| roll outward along the inclinedfaces 53 and 55 of the cams 52 and 53. This action forces the camsfapart, putting pressure on finger springs 53 and swinging levers 35 about their fulcra in eye-bolts 33, so as to force the presser plate rapidly toward the flywheel As the motor approaches eng s ns speed the rollers 55 overrun the inner inclined faces 53 of cams 52 and start out along the radial faces 54. The motion and force of the weights now acts only through the comparatively small angle of face 55, so that the rate of separation of the cams is decreased and the multiplication of power increased, giving a gradual but powerful movement to the levers to bring the clutch surfaces into engagement.

Engagement having occurred, the weights 44 continue to-move outward as the speed increases, thereby increasing the loading of finger springs 55 and the force applied through the levers 35 to the friction surfaces, until the weights are stopped by the cover plate 20, after which no further increased force can be applied to the said surfaces.

A sleeve 59 having an internal worm thread 55 is loosely screwed on a corresponding external worm thread 6| on the driven shaft 42. A ring 52, loosely splined on the sleeve 59, carries a plate 53 having annular friction facings 64. The

facings 54 are disposed between a face 65 on the rear portion or member 56 of the bell-housing l2 and a brake presser plate 51 slidable on guide .pins 55 fixed in the member 66. Springs 69 normally hold brake presser plate 51 out of engagement with friction members 64, and a yoke Ill on the cross shaft H is adapted to force the brake presser plate 61 to the right (Fig. 1) so as to cause brakingengagement when H is rotated counter-clockwise. I

The cross shaft Il may be rotated by a foot pedal of any desired construction (not shown). It is not intended however, to limit the invention to manual operation of the braking mechanism, as any suitable type of servo, such as a hydraulic or vacuum operated device, may be used to rotate the, cross shaft ll.

When the presser brake plate 51 is moved to the right the friction annulus 54 is gripped between the former and the face 65. The drag thus produced is communicated through the, splined ring 62 and the sleeve 59 to the worm threads, which slip, screwing the sleeve 59 to the left. Through a ball thrust bearing 12 the sleeve 55 moves an outer sleeve 13 to the left causing an annular member 14 backed by a second ball thrust bearing 15 to engage the ring ll. Ring ll is thus moved to the left against the pressure of finger springs 58, swinging levers 35 to the left and disengaging the clutch.

The numeral 16 denotes a spiral-spring having one end pivoted at 11 to the ring" and plate 53, the other end being pivoted at 18 to a collar member I9 screwed on the shaft 42.

As the plate 63 is retarded, as previously noted, the spring 15 is coiled more tightly due to the relative motion between plate 63 and shaft 42. When the plate is released the spring 15 uncoils, returning the plate to its original position relative to the shaft 52, thereby retracting the sleeve 59. The clutch is thereby allowed to reengage, provided the motor speed is sumcient to hold the weights outward. If, however, the motor speed has dropped sufficiently, to allow the weights to move inward, the pressure of rollers 50, 5| is relieved from the cams and finger springs 58, and theclutch remains disengaged. v

To insure long life and smooth action it is desirable that the braking parts be operated in oil.

An interior casing and seals 8|, 82, 83 and 54, Fig. 1, allow operation of the disengaging power unit in oil without the passage of lubricant into the clutching mechanism.

What is claimed is:

1. In a clutch, in combination, a housing, a driving member including a movable pressure plate, a driven member, a spider comprising a plurality of finger springs engaging said pressure plate, a plurality of radially inclined cams on said .spi der, a-plurality of levers pivotally attached to I said pressure plate at their outer ends and ful- 2'. In a clutch, in combination, a housing, a'

driving member including a movable pressure plate, a' driven member, a spider comprising a plurality of finger springs engaging said pressure plate, a plurality of radially inclined cams on said spider, a plurality ofv levers pivotally attached to said pressure plate at their outer ends and fulcrumed in said driving member, a ring engaging the inner ends of said levers, a plurality of radially inclined cams on said ring, a plurality of links supporting rollers engaging said first mentioned cams and other rollers engaging said second mentioned cams, weights attached to said links and slidable radially in said driving member, springs adapted to oppose outward movement of said weights, and power means on said driven member adapted to force said ring toward said pressure plate.

3. In a clutch, in combination, a housing, a

driving member including a movable pressure plate, a driven member, a spider comprising a plurality of finger springs engaging said pressure plate, a plurality of radially inclined cams on said spider, a plurality of levers pivotally attached to said pressure plate at their outer ends and fulcrumed in said driving member, a-ring engaging the inner ends of said levers, a plurality of radially inclined cams on said ring, a plurality of links supporting rollers engaging said first mentioned cams and other rollers engaging said second mentioned cams, weights attached to said links and slidable radially in said driving member, springs adapted to oppose outward movement of said weights, the inclined faces of said first mentioned cams extending radially outward beyond the inclined faces of said second mentioned cams.

4. In a clutch comprising driving and driven members, a' driven shaft, a plurality of levers on said driving member, means adapted to actuate said levers to cause engagement of said driving and driven members, a cylindrical member on said driven shaft adapted to engage said levers, and power means, having an oil submerging enclosure, to cause longitudinal displacement of said cylindrical member through said enclosure whereby said levers may be actuated to disengage said driving and driven members.

engage said driving and driven members, said disengage said clutch, a brake disk slidably splined'to said sleeve, friction members having a keyed connection on said casing, and means to cause engagement of said friction members ,with said brake disk.

'7. In a clutch, in combination, a driving memher, a driven member, a plurality of centrifugal I clutch, a brake disk slidably splined' to said 8. In a clutch, in combination, a casing, a driven shaft, a worm on said shaft, a sleeve engaging said worm adapted: to disengage said sleeve, friction members attached to said casing, means to cause engagement ofsaid friction membars with said brake disk whereby said brake disk is retarded relative to said shaft, and a torsion spring attached to said disk and said shaft.

9. Ina clutch, in combination, a driven shaft, a worm on said shaft, a worm sleeve on said worm, a brake disk onsaid worm sleeve free during clutch engagement, means to retard said disk'relative to said shaft, and means mounted on the driven shaft adapted to apply a force tangentially to accelerate said disk relative to said shaft.

10. In a clutch, in combination, a driven shaft, a worm on said shaft, a worm sleeve on said worm, a brake disk on said worm sleeve free during clutch engagement, friction means to retard said disk relative to said shaft, and spring means mounted on the driven shaft adapted to apply a force tangentially to accelerate said disk relative to said shaft.

11. In a clutch, in combination, a driven shaft, a worm on said shaft, a worm sleeve on-said worm, a brake disk on said .worm sleeve free during clutch engagement, means to retard said disk relative to'said shaft,'and a torsion spring mounted on-the driven shaft adapted to apply a force tangentially to accelerate said disk relative to said shaft.

12. In combination, a casing, clutch in said casing, a second casing withinsa d main casing,

a power unit in said second casing adapted to disengage said clutch, and means to prevent EDWARD A. ROCKWELL. 

